On my eighteenth birthday, I opened my Stanford acceptance letter—and my dad said, “Give it to Jake. You can take out loans.”

the envelope. “You inherit a mixed-use building in downtown Palo Alto and a trust of two million dollars. The trust will cover your living expenses, education, and building maintenance. But full control transfers to you only if you complete an undergraduate degree within four years while maintaining legal independence from your father and stepmother.continue reading …